New Illinois Record Black Crappie Caught

Ryan Povolish has caught what is reported to be the new Illinois Black Crappie record.

The Green Machine Facebook page has posted a picture and description of a giant Illinois black crappie, and it’s reported to be the new state record.

Check out the post below of Ryan Povolish’s big catch.

The fish is said to have an official weight of 4 pounds, 8.8 ounces. We reached out to The Green Machine and they were able to get us in contact with Ryan so we could ask a few questions about the record black crappie.

Ryan and his fishing buddy, Josh Jackson, were getting ready to pre-fish Kincaid Lake in Southern Illinois for an upcoming bass fishing tournament. As they were unloading the boat, a gentleman asked Josh to show them a good crappie spot. (Josh has a reputation for being one the best fisherman in the area, and in Ryan’s eye’s the best).

After taking the group out to a spot and setting them up, Ryan decided to do a little casting with a Strike King Pure Poison Chatter Bait.

After casting, he felt a strong hit and initially thought it was a bass, but after a short 20-second fishing battle, the black crappie emerged.

Povolish and his fishing buddy soon realized the fish could break 4 pounds. They learned that the record was previously held by Marcus Miller was 4 pounds, 8.2 ounces. Ryan weighed the fish with the scale in the boat and it was recorded at 4 pounds, 10 ounces.

It was then that Ryan fully understood he likely caught the new state record. They started making a few calls to get a hold of Sean Hurst, a state biologist who could officially weigh the fish. Sean headed to the marina and officially weighed the fish at 4 pounds and 8.8 ounces, surpassing the previous record.

The fish measured 18 1/4 inches long and was extremely thick; technically it had to be to rack up all that weight. When talking with Ryan, he made it clear he wasn’t an expert crappie fisherman, but simply was at the right place at the right time.